The 'Sacred Cod' and its prank-related lore

The 'Sacred Cod' is a wooden carving of an Atlantic cod suspended in the Massachusetts House of Representatives chamber as a symbol of the state's historic fishing industry. The carving has been the subject of student pranks and was removed briefly on multiple occasions in the 20th century, incidents that have become part of the object's local lore. The carving hangs in the Massachusetts State House, which is open to the public for tours.